Misinterpretations
by RavenclawMerlinFan
Summary: Set post 5x03. Merlin has... what exactly? Arthur comes to his own conclusion.


**Hello everyone! How's everyone coping with the ending of Merlin? It's been 5 days and I'm still not coping. :'(  
So, here's my attempt at humour to try and cheer myself up!**

**Set after Series 5 Episode 3, the Death Song of Uther Pendragon.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Merlin. Believe me, if I did, that ending would have been ****_VERY_**** different. **

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_"Merlin has…" _

Those two words ran through Arthur Pendragon's head again and again, like a constant drum beat. Spelling out what, he was not sure. _Merlin has…_ what? For the life of him, Arthur could not work out was Uther was about to tell him. If only he had blown that horn just a second later…

No. He had to stop thinking like that. Who knows how that sentence could have ended? Whatever Merlin had, if he did not want Arthur to know that that was his decision.

This was what the young King tried to convince himself of anyway. But somehow, those two words carried on pounding through his head, an unfinished sentence, until he felt a headache coming on.

"Damn you Merlin…" Arthur moaned. As if on cue, the manservant himself burst through the doors to the King's chambers, without knocking – as usual.

He began to tidy the King's clothes, which were strewn over the floor. Arthur watched him closely, to see if there was any clue as to what his father might have been trying to tell him. After a while, the young servant seemed to notice the king was staring at him, and straightened up to look at him.

"What?"

"Nothing." Merlin gave Arthur a strange look before moving towards the door to take the pile of laundry from the room.

"Wait!" The word was out of Arthur's mouth before he could stop it. Merlin stopped and wheeled around to face the King.

"I've already mucked out the stables, cleaned your armour, sharpened your sword and now I'm about to clean your clothes, what _else_ do you want me to do?" Merlin asked incredulously.

The blonde-haired man ignored him. "What was my father about to say before I blew the horn? He said 'Merlin has' and then he disappeared."

Merlin opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking like a goldfish. "I don't know what you're talking about now I really have to go and clean your clothes." He said this in one breath before almost running from the room, leaving Arthur in a stunned silence.

_Well, that was odd, _Arthur thought. He picked up his quill and tried to finish the report he was meant to have finished by yesterday.

Suddenly it hit him. What Uther had been about to say. And he understood why Merlin would not want him to know.

Merlin had… _feelings_ for him.

It all made sense! Why the man was always so ridiculously loyal and never gave up on Arthur. Why he just acted so shifty when Arthur had asked him.

By the Gods… this was awkward. He would have to speak to Merlin. Tell him what though?

_"Oh sorry Merlin I've just discovered your hidden feelings for me but I don't reciprocate them."_

_"Merlin I'm married."_

_"Merlin I'm not gay." _

_"I could always just not say anything…"_ Arthur thought gloomily. How would he ever be able to look Merlin in the face again though?

The king banged his head down on the desk right into his report – the ink on which was still wet – and gave a groan. Why hadn't he listened to his instincts and kept his mouth shut? Then he wouldn't be in this predicament.

If only Guinevere had not made a visit to her friends in the lower town for the day… _she_ would know what to do.

For now, he decided the easiest option would just be to carry on with his now smudged report.

About an hour later Merlin came in with Arthur's lunch.

"Arthur…"

"Yes?"

"Why have you got ink on your forehead?"

Arthur picked up an empty plate and looked in it. It was true; he had blank ink tattooed over his face. He gave a glare to his manservant, as if it was his fault. Well, technically it was.

There was a silence as Merlin poured the king's wine. Arthur he cleared his throat. Better now than never.

"Merlin… I realised what my father had been about to say. I do not know how he knew, but I worked it out."

The jug of wine slipped from Merlin's hands and landed with a splash on the floor, spraying the floor and both men's boots with red wine.

Arthur chose to ignore this, and continued.

"I… I am… flattered… that you feel this way, but I am married to Guinevere, and see you as no more than just my manservant and advisor, as well as my friend."

_There. That wasn't too bad, was it?_ Arthur hoped not anyway.

"Wait… what?" Merlin looked confused. Arthur gave a sigh; did he really have to spell out everything to that man?

"He was about to say that you have feelings for me."

After the stunned silence was over, Merlin gave the reaction Arthur had been least expecting. Laughter.

The manservant laughed so hard he had to grip the table.

"What? That I have _feelings_ for you? Ha-ha!" He brushed away a tear from the corner of his eye.

"What is so funny?" Arthur asked him irritably.

"Oh God… I think this is the most hilarious delusion you've had yet!" With that, Merlin walked from the room, still chuckling.

"Wait! Does this mean you do have feelings for me or not?" When Merlin didn't reply, Arthur shouted down the corridor: "And clean this mess up!"

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**Sooo... what do you guys think? Please leave any comments below! :)**


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